Since Belle had remained in her brother's room with their father, Rumple had quickly located Phria so the pair could make their way to the dungeon entrance where Ser Chrysaor had been stationed as a guard. It was quite the walk from where he'd found Phria to the dungeon door thanks to the damage Viren's fire had caused, but neither cared about the ruined castle or the long walk when they were suddenly faced with a man dressed head to toe in a red robe with armored shoulders and a ruby brooch over his chest so large it could surely have funded a town for a good long while. His beard and hair, which hung down to his lower back, were the color of the setting sun and, much like Valdis, his eyes were black. Tall, broad and intimidating were all words which applied to this stranger. Phria instinctively reached for her sword but Rumple caught his fiancée by the elbow when a waft of fire reached him; maybe not a stranger.
"Viren I presume?"
Phria and Ser Chrysaor's men had combed through Kalecaster looking for lingering enemies, they would have found this man long ago if he were one of the holdouts. Then there was the intense magical energy which rolled off the red-haired man like a waterfall, power beyond even Tvon had displayed. Really though, it had been the gigantic ruby brooch which had sealed it for Rumple, that thing screamed talisman; he'd created Valdis' talisman from a book which had mentioned dragons using a similar thing after all. So yes, this imposing man covered in red could only have been the great fire dragon in human form.
Viren nodded. "Indeed, it is me. I congratulate you, Dark One, most do not realize what I am so quickly."
Frankly, when Rumple had mentioned they were going to investigate the dungeon and Viren's imprisoned son, Phria had half expected the dragon to simply burn a hole in the ground and force his way inside like a determined cat in a box. This human form though, it was significantly more practical and, while Phria adored Rumple for the person he was rather than what he looked like, Viren's rippling muscles and strong shoulders were quite a nice sight.
With only a pause to instruct Ser Chrysaor, who'd continued to complain about being reduced to guard duty until he'd learned he was guarding a baby dragon, to keep people out and not open the door no matter what he heard. Tvon had almost certainly covered the whole dungeon with traps and who knew what those wards chaining Viren's son could do if tapped in the wrong place.
Icy cold and dark were Avonlea's dungeons, a hopeless place with only silence for company. Hell, even the cells at the Dark Castle had provided a small window and some fresh air. The floors were uneven and spattered with bits of old straw some sections of which had gone mouldy. Then again, a dungeon wasn't the sort of place most wanted to find themselves in and Rumple doubted Tvon nor Gaston, had sent anybody to tend to the dungeons since they'd gotten the Ring of Halinox onto Maurice. Phria rubbed at her shoulders unconsciously, it truly was cold down in those depths.
Rumple made to light the torches but Viren beat them to it and each one burst to life with an almost alarming speed. Later, both Rumple and Phria would be ashamed of themselves for expecting anything less from the literal fire dragon of legend. With light, and a fresh scent of ash in the air where Viren's torches had scorched the ceilings, the trio made their way slowly through the dungeon's halls so as not to trigger any booby traps. While Phria would have had to search the baby dragon out, Rumple and Viren had an innate sense of his location thanks to his scent of powerful magic; the baby dragon's smelt peculiar, like a sweet vinegar lingering somewhere between too faint and too pungent.
Though he'd not mentioned it to anybody, Rumple had suspected Tvon had chained someone or, more likely, something up in Avonlea's dungeons ever since Bae had mentioned hearing chains rattle disturbingly in the cold darkness. Another imprisoned child though, Rumple hadn't even considered that. How grateful the world must have been to know Haldor Tvon had left it.
The dungeon was dark and dank, isolated and despondent, the stone walls stole any heat that made it inside and the silence seemingly took pleasure in stripping prisoners of their resolve. This evil place was where Baelfire had been caged – this hopeless hole in the ground. The dungeon was indifferent at best and malicious at worst.
As they walked, both Rumple and Phria realized the dungeon had been built in a large loop of cells with a row of them running right through the centre, somewhat reminiscent of a prohibition sign. The central row had been blocked off on either side by an immensely strong barrier that even Phria felt deep in her bones. For a moment the trio stared at the chaotic array of symbols, sigils and glyphs which had been etched into the stone. Some were wards, others traps and Rumple even found a series of hidden magic circles along the hallway which had been set as landmines.
"All this to keep the dragon getting out." Phria mused aloud only for Rumple to shake his head.
"No, darling, all of this was to ensure a father couldn't rescue his son."
Thanks to his time with Mykel Ainsworth, Rumple had learned a great many things about draconic and the best ways to specifically bar a dragon from a place. Of course, nobody had bothered implementing such wards and spells in centuries since they'd all believed dragons to have gone extinct, but Tvon had found a horrid way of making use of them.
"We have a pact, Dark One." Yes, Viren did keep reminding Rumple of that. "You made an oath to free my son, now free Shiryu."
Shiryu, was that the boy's name? Well, Shiryu was locked behind an almost incomprehensible number of wards preventing Rumple from just snapping his fingers flamboyantly to break him free.
"I always keep my deals. However, this is pandemonium and not to be rushed. Unlocking any of these in the right order will probably result in injuring or killing your boy because Tvon expected you to try getting at him."
Viren reluctantly nodded. "I understand. You kept your word with the Princess, I will trust you to keep yours with me as well. I cannot remove the spells placed, but I shall aid you however I am able."
So, despite being tired and in need of some quiet after healing Lorrimer, Rumple set to work fully aware he couldn't go back on a deal and, more importantly, couldn't leave an innocent child chained in the cold.
While Rumple and Viren set to work on removing the wards keeping them from Shiryu's cell, Phria had done a thorough search of the dungeon for any other places Tvon may have imprisoned or hid something. Fortunately she'd not found anything alarming and by the time she'd returned to the dragon in human form and the man she'd marry, they'd made it almost two feet into the hallway. Phria had watched Rumple work on Valdis' talisman with no real idea of how or where to start, so having one of the cardinal dragons as aid was no small thing.
She leaned against the wall while the two men worked until a question struck her. "Lord Viren, if you don't mind my asking, how did Tvon manage to capture your son?"
The red-haired dragon peered over his shoulder at her, it was clear he blamed himself, but Phria suspected all parents blamed themselves even if it wasn't their fault. Pain never happened in a vacuum, it always rippled outward to affect everything around it; sadly, when a child felt pain, it rippled to the parents first.
"He was playing with Sphatik and his half sister Araucaria, some game which involved seeing who could fly over the Ogre Blockade, into the Ogre Territory and back the fastest. My boy was ahead of the others when a cloaked man appeared on his back and the two vanished. I only found out that man was Tvon when he came to me and told me what I must do to protect Shiryu."
"Araucaria and Sphatik are other dragons, I assume." Mused Rumple without looking up.
"Indeed, the daughter of my mate and youngest son of Yihrahassa."
Rumple hummed. Dragons had gone from a nonentity to an extensive network hidden in the shadows. Ainsworth hadn't mentioned anything about the cardinal dragons having kids but it somehow seemed ridiculous to assume they'd not. Now wasn't the moment to delve deeper on that subject though, he had wards to tear apart.
"Tvon just stole him out of the air? How low could one man be?" Phria already knew, she'd fought Tvon herself. "Were the other dragons hurt?"
"No, thankfully not."
Children, everything always returned to children when it came to Gaston and Tvon. Belle had been little more than a child and they'd used her to summon Rumple. Lorrimer had been kept as a chess piece while Bae had been caged like a common animal, and Gaston had been little more than an entitled brat. Now, after everything, they found yet another child exploited by Tvon.
From her spot rested against the chilled wall, Phria continued to watch the two men – probably the most powerful people to have ever walked Dreymyr – since she didn't really know what else to do, Phria couldn't carefully dismantle wards while avoiding booby traps like they could, nor did she have any idea how to speed the painstaking process up. Although, Phria did know how to guard, so she stood watch lest their complacency lead to devastation.
Each broken ward smelt bizarrely like burnt toast, a scent which increased with each one until a truly fetid stench had filled the dungeon to the point Phria had to hide her nose behind her hand. and wished she'd been the sort to wear delicate perfumes like Belle. Steadily though, or possibly disturbingly, the beautiful pantherian eventually went nose blind to the smell and found herself watching Rumple as he proved his status as a demon lord.
Rumple had told her and Belle some of who he'd been before being summoned and the dark acts he'd committed, of his dagger and the Dark Curse he'd set in motion in his plan to find Baelfire. They weren't noble or good things, frankly they'd been horrid and nightmarish in some instances, but Rumple had done them for love of his son and grief. It didn't excuse what he'd done or justify it even slightly, but it did make those acts more understandable. Rumple hadn't ever claimed to be a saint or a hero, not a savior or a protector, but Phria knew he was no monster and so did Belle – she was the smart one after all – despite what he thought of himself. At first the white-haired beauty had wondered if maybe she'd been viewing things through rose-tinted glasses but no; monsters never cared they were monsters, never worried about it or chastised themselves as deeply as Rumple had. Monsters didn't treat women with respect and kindness, didn't go out of their ways to protect children or suffer nightmares that they thought they could hide from their bedfellows. Rumple had done terrible things but he wasn't inherently evil and, since coming to Dreymyr, he'd tried to be better, especially now he'd been reunited with Bae. In an odd way Rumple was an inspiration. All the evil and darkness that had been swirling around inside him for years, his curse and yet, he'd never quite given in to it. Now he stood working alongside a dragon to free an innocent child. Yes, Phria and Belle had chosen the right man. Rumple was clearly exhausted but kept going anyway. Yes, definitely the right man.
~X~
While Kalecaster Castle did its very best to right itself, Bruckstone Castle had been fairly quiet for the majority of the afternoon – early evening was probably a more accurate description. The sun would soon think of setting and those comforting oranges and warm reds would march across the sky like an artist expressing what life meant to them. Renner had relaxed himself in one of the Dante chairs that called the room Valdis and Amicia shared home to read a book. He might have appeared carefree and distracted, but Renner was a skilled observer and never one to grow unmindful; he noticed everything that went on inside that room and out on the balcony, the Dark One's children were well protected.
While Renner read, the trio of children played – well, Amicia and Valdis played while Bae mostly observed with a gentle smile and enjoyed the evening air where he rested against the open balcony door. He remembered the small toys his papa had carved from wood for him when not spinning, Bae had treasured those little toys and, now he allowed himself to think of them, he missed them dearly. It had been Phria who'd told Bae of the tragic backgrounds of his new sisters and, while he'd felt somewhat replaced upon first learning about them, Bae was now truly thankful that his papa had taken the two girls in. On the outside both girls were always happy and energetic, but Bae hadn't failed to spot the caution which darkened Amicia's blue eyes, or that Valdis kept her distance from strangers as though she expected them to spew violence. Bae had suffered, but he'd never been treated as less than a person.
With a sigh, Bae went to perch on Amicia's bed while the girls giggled as they tickled Demiurge's tummy and Renner pretended to not be watching them like a hawk. It would be a long time until he, the girls and even Rumple healed from their trauma – maybe a whole lifetime – but they were finally trying and Bae would forever be grateful for that. Family, that was all he'd ever wanted, to just be a happy family.
The blonde little girl pounced on Bae then causing him to fall backward on the bed with her. He instinctively wrapped one arm around her and adjusted his head to avoid getting poked by one of her golden horns.
"You okay, Bae? You look sad."
"I was just thinking, Mic. Don't worry about it."
She cuddled in closer almost jabbing him in the heck with her horns. Rumple may have made it lovingly to make her happy, but he'd not thought about the damage she could do to a person's eyes and throat.
"Don't think about sad things." Worry settled on her face then and the elf girl rose up on her hands to look at him cautiously. "Is it me and Valdis? You know, because we're not really Papa's?"
Them? She thought he had a problem with them?! No, no, no, Bae couldn't let that go on.
"Of course it isn't, Mic. It wouldn't ever be that, and you are Papa's. I always loved the idea of having little brothers and sisters to play with. Please don't ever think I don't want you as my sister. Please, Mic."
That comforted Amicia and, though he never said a word nor looked away from his book, Renner was exceptionally proud of the boy.
Apparently pleased with Bae's genuine tone and honest eyes, Amicia lay back down this time without posing risk to any eyeballs.
"Good, because I like that you're my big brother, and that you call me Mic."
When he stopped to think about it, Bae hadn't even realized he'd given the girl a nickname; it had all been so organic. That was the done thing though, yes? Siblings gave one another nicknames as a sign of their close bond. Bae didn't regret that bond, he felt no anger toward it nor did he wish for it to end, Bae quite enjoyed his new role as a big brother. It had been lonely back in the little hovel in the village he and his papa had once called home. When his mother had been around she'd seemingly had less and less time for him the older he got and, while his papa adored him and took him everywhere, he'd worked so very hard to feed them that it had often cut into play time. Sure, Bae'd had couple of friends littered through the village but he'd still been lonely for him. Two rambunctious little sisters were just what he needed even if he'd not known it.
Without warning, Valdis jumped up on the other side of him, careful not to squash her wings and apparently bored of playing with Demiurge. She looked at the older two with all the determination a girl her age could muster.
"I want a nickname too!" She insisted which just had all present smile to themselves.
"I suppose you can have one." Bae replied enjoying the beaming expression it got from the dark-haired girl. "… How about Vee? It's simple and cute."
Valdis thought it over for a few seconds as though it were a significantly more important thing than it actually was, until, seemingly satisfied, she nodded happily and slipped off the bed to Demiurge. 'Is it possible my little sister is fickle?' Bae mentally questioned himself.
Amicia soon rejoined Valdis to play while Renner continued to quietly read as though he weren't there at all, and Bae stared up at the ceiling. The Van Winchell's had been so kind to take care of them while his papa, Belle and Phria went to free Kalecaster and Belle's papa. The Duke of the Frontlands wouldn't have ever shown anyone such generous kindness, especially not children. While Bae doubted people like the Van Winchell's would suddenly turn on them, he'd grown into a cynic since he'd been sucked through that portal away from Rumple and probably wouldn't ever shake the suspicions at the back of his mind; it was a part of him now the same way his eye color was.
After maybe an hour, a light knock sounded at the door. Renner calmly marked his place, set aside his book, then went to answer the door all without a single hurried motion. There he found Lana, one of the castle's most trusted maids – a tall woman of about forty with smooth ebony skin, wearing a mobcap and a polite expression.
She offered him a smile. "I'm very sorry to interrupt, but the Queen has requested Lord Baelfire and Ladies Amicia and Valdis join the family for dinner. I am here to dress the young Ladies."
Things would have been significantly easier for Renner if the children had all just remained in that bedroom, but he was fully aware they were the guests of royalty and Queen Lilianne had taken to the girls as though they were new granddaughters. So, with a gruff nod, Renner stepped aside to allow Lana into the room before he closed the door behind her. For a few moments the two adults simply looked at one another before Lana finally pointed out she would be dressing the girls, which made the bedroom no place for men. Renner had his mouth open to object and point out he was their bodyguard rather than some sick peeping Tom who spied on little girls, but Bae caught him by the elbow and cut in.
"We can wait on the balcony, you can still hear them from out there."
Apparently satisfied with that, Lana made a no-nonsense shooing motion and soon both Bae and Renner were out in the evening air. Bae leant on the stone balustrade facing the expansive view of the Spikes while Renner rested his elbows on the cold stone so he could keep watch on the door he'd left ajar. Several moments passed before anything was said; Renner wasn't all that talkative at the best of times and Bae had a lot on his young mind these days. However, when words did finally fill the evening, Bae hadn't expected them.
"You know, you're very wise for a boy so young. Kind too."
Bae hadn't quite known what to say to that, so eventually he settled for: "I've seen a lot of things." He side-eyed the older man. "Renner? Do you think people are born even or that the world makes them that way?"
Renner thought a moment. "I think it's a bit of both. Some people experience such hardship and misery that they just break, and being evil becomes a coping mechanism, a defence strategy to stop them experiencing more. Other people … they're just born wrong. Have a seed inside them that blooms into such vile acts."
The pantherian's words were very straightforward, he made no attempt to sugarcoat his words or dumb them down for a child; Bae was grateful for that, grateful to just have an honest answer. Later, when dinner had finished, it would dawn on Bae that it was the most he'd ever heard Renner say in one go.
"Why do you think that is?"
"I have no idea," Renner shrugged. "Maybe it's something left over from a past life or some divine will. Could also just be a mistake of nature." He sighed. "I don't think we'll ever really know the reason. Why do you ask?"
Though a little reluctant to answer, Bae did eventually open up. "My papa promised he'd try harder to not give into the evil inside him now we're together again."
"You don't believe him?"
For the first time since their conversation had begun, Bae looked away from the majestic mountains to the shaggy-haired man beside him; one black cat ear was turned to the door while the other fixated on Bae.
"I believe him. I believe Papa will try, I'm just not sure he'll succeed."
That comment had Renner turn fully to face the young boy, a serious expression on his face which Bae could tell came from something he'd experienced in his youth.
"Maybe he will, maybe he won't. I know one thing for certain though: If you continue to assume Rumpelstiltskin won't or can't get better … then he doesn't stand a chance."
For a few seconds Bae was confused, his brow had furrowed and his lips had parted to question what Renner meant, but then it clicked for him. If Bae just took his papa failing to change as a foregone conclusion then, no matter what Rumple did, it wouldn't ever be enough and soon he'd just stop trying, that was when the Darkness would latch back on with icy claws. No matter what had happened between them, Bae had always known his papa loved him. He was Rumple's grounding, his anchor keeping him from total madness. So Bae did know what Renner meant. Renner meant that it was very possible that Rumple wouldn't ever fully break free of the evil inside him but, if Bae stood by him and supported him since he was the brave one, then Rumple stood a much better chance.
This dishevelled former assassin had turned out to be quite the thinker it seemed, and had given his young charge much to think about.